King for a Day…15th anniversary

King for a Day…15th anniversary

Faith No More released their fifth studio album King for a Day…Fool for a Lifetime 15 years ago this week in March 1995. It is fair to say that the initial reaction was muted, with a lot of critics and fans somewhat underwhelmed after the splendour of Angel Dust. However, KFAD is now regarded as a minor classic, showcasing as it does the band’s genre-hopping at its most extreme and featuring such crucial cuts as Ricochet, Evidence, Digging the Grave and the title track.

4. The Gentle Art of Making Enemies
5. Star A.D.
6. Cuckoo for Caca
7. Caralho Voador
8. Ugly in the Morning
9. Digging the Grave
10. Take this Bottle
11. King For A Day
12. What A Day
13. The Last to Know
14. Just a Man
15. Absolute Zero/I Started a Joke/Evidence (Spanish Version)
*Album artwork by Eric Drooker.
Track 15 “I Started a Joke” is a Bee Gees song.

“On ‘Ricochet’, a little help on vocal harmonies and inversions,
nothing big…The guitar parts for ‘Evidence’, keyboard parts
(chords, and minor chord part in the middle) for ‘Cuckoo for Caca’,
some of ‘What A Day’. ‘Ugly in the Morning’, the ending guitar riff.
On ‘Digging’ I just spiced up the chords. [For ‘King for a Day’], the
climax Em D C part was mine, that’s it. ‘Just A Man’, a few
suggestions here and there. Maybe a chord turnaround or two, but
nothing major.”

“Evidence” was recorded in Spanish, Italian and Portuguese
Guitars on “I Started a Joke” by Dean Menta.
“Evidence (Spanish Version)” re-vocaled at Battery Studios London with Engineer
Steve Bush.
All standard album tracks produced by Andy Wallace and Faith No More.
Track 15 “I Started A Joke” produced by Billy Gould and Dean Menta.

King for a Day…Fool for a Lifetime was nominated for a Bay Area Music Award (Bammie) in the category of Best Hard Rock Album of 1995.

3 contains a sample from Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Quartet No. 8” as performed by
the Kronos Quartet.
4 from Dekalb, Illinois, 20.8.92
5 is the “R-evolution 23 Full Moon Mix” by Youth of Killing Joke.
1 & 3 produced by Matt Wallace and Faith No More.
2 produced by Faith No More.
6 produced by Andy Wallace and Faith No More.

Promotional disc given away in a limited edition with early copies of the
Australian pressings of King for a Day…Fool for a Lifetime [TVD93421
(RMD53421)].

Reviews

Rolling Stone
Sample quote: “Among the best cuts are “Ricochet,” a portentous anthem reminiscent of “Epic”; “Digging the Grave,” which has a grungy feel that isn’t completely ruined by Patton’s histrionic screaming; “Take This Bottle,” a country alchy ballad worthy of George Jones; and “King for a Day,” a haunting reverie anchored by Roddy Bottum’s atmospheric keyboards.”

All Music Guide
Sample quote: “King for a Day, Fool for a Lifetime remains one of Faith No More’s underrated releases.”

Ultimate Guitar
Sample quote: “Although it could never live up to the intensity of “Angel Dust”, this album is a lot more approachable and doesn’t disappoint.”

Addicted to Noise
Sample quote: “For the most part, Faith No More’s sound has failed to evolve. Like the great dinosaurs of the past who are now extinct, metal bands must change and adapt to new surroundings or they will eventually atrophy and die. Not choosing the humility of death by breaking up, Faith No More has essentially devolved and crawled back to the anonymity and safety of the great Primordial Lake, home to many of rock’s reluctant dinosaurs, where they will eventually, thankfully, be eaten by a shark or large snake.”

Spin
Sample quote: “Patton has finally abandoned his adenoidal Dickies whine for a more nuanced Jello Biafra-as-Tom Jones thing, which works better than you might think. Though the music still careens from genre to genre as casually as most bands go from chord to chord–there’s a song here for every radio format, and you may grow to despise the “Sukiyaki”-flavored blue-eyed-soul song “Just a Man”–King for a Day is never less than coherent, which is more than you can say for Primus.”

Band quotes

As previously mentioned on the blog, Metal Hammer’s Story Behind the Album feature on the release is a must-read for any FNM fan detailing as it does the circumstances of Jim Martin’s departure, Roddy’s problems at the time of recording and the band’s quest for musical freedom. I’ve pick-pocketed a few choice quotes from that seminal piece and a few from elsewhere below:

“What I remember most about the recording of ‘King For A Day’ was that everything was different than it had been before. In the two years before we’d done a lot of growing up but we were… we weren’t exactly in a coherent mental state when we made that album – we were all fucked up in some way. And the studio was out in the middle of a fucking forest. It was on this dirt road with nothing but the studio and the cabin for two miles. It was like sensory deprivation. But the good thing about it was we had nothing else to do but record.”Bill Gould

“Things for me personally were going to hell. I came out. I saw some friends die. I was with Courtney Love throughout Kurt’s final months ‘cos she was a close friend and at the same time my own father died. I just holed up and had a nervous breakdown basically. I just realised I had to chose my priorities very carefully. Things like honesty and passion and art. But whilst the album was being recorded, all of that is a real blur for me ‘cos of the shit I was going through at the time. And my heroin addiction didn’t help. And the suicide of two of my friends didn’t help. Nothing helped. Things had to reach a low before I could help myself. My first impulse was to leave. But I couldn’t just let it go, it was something I helped start, it’s very important to me.”Roddy Bottum

“It was tough with a lot of unknowns, a lot of problems in the band, a lot of insecurity and wondering if we were going to make this record. We weren’t a band for a while. Of course we wanted to continue, but there are other circumstances that play a part. We’re felt like we were getting old. You can only put up a facade for so long. You get a new guy after new guy, and it’s like, how many facelifts can you get? We’re not going to have guys drop off and get new ones, and then have Faith No More reunite. Fuck that.”Mike Patton

“I think it’s us being us, more than anything. I think we finally had the resources to be us on this record.”Mike Patton CMJ New Music Monthly

“We’re just trying to write in different ways. I think you just get as much power in a melody as you can out of just straight ahead discordant chord-bashing rock. There’s a different kind of tension. If there is a something I can be critical about our past records is, there isn’t as much dynamics and there isn’t a lot of slow, subtle tension. I really do want to learn how to do that as an artist and be able to develop that ability. We all do.”Bill Gould, Faces magazine

Chart performance

Although retrospectively viewed as a flop, mainly due to us chart performance, KFAD actually peaked in the top ten of the album charts in nine major countries, scoring a number two in Australia and a number three in New Zealand.

In the US, however, the album spent only eight weeks in the Billboard Top 200 and peaked at number 31 on 14 April 1995.

The album spawned three singles Digging the Grave, Ricochet and Evidence. Digging the Grave reached number 12 in Australia and numbers 16 in the UK and New Zealand.

I guess:
1.KFAD
2. Angel Dust/Album of the Year
3. The Real Thing
4. Introduce Yourself
5. We Care A Lot

But it also depends on my mood.
@ Broken Throat I just love Riccochet 🙂

Steve
March 29, 2010 at 6:43 pm

Can’t pick a top 5. It changes depending on my mood.

Alksyntrs
March 29, 2010 at 5:28 pm

Thanks 3d-alex…

Yes, I Wanna Fuck Myself is a good song. I realised recently who was GG Allin (what a surprise!), I first thought Patton wrote it. I’ll be glad to read what you got about Green Field.

SeanL
March 29, 2010 at 5:11 pm

Here’s my list…

1. KFAD
2. Angel Dust
3. Album of the Year
4. The Real Thing
5. Introduce Yourself
6. We Care A Lot

That being said, I fucking love EVERY FNM album.

Chris
March 29, 2010 at 6:58 am

“I chuckle a little when I read the Entertainment Weekly review.”

And how about Rolling Stone’s review of Album Of The Year when it originally came out. They gave it one and a half stars out of five. That magazine pretty much lost all credibility to me then.

And if I were to rank Faith No More’s albums, I think Real Thing would be number one (probably just because it’s a sentimental favorite), but I don’t know about after that. I’m of the rare breed who truly enjoys the first two Chuck albums as much as the Patton ones. They’re worlds different, but I still enjoy them all the same.

Jones
March 29, 2010 at 1:48 am

Going with ti mort’s idea, if I had to list my favorite albums in order…

1. KFAD
2. Album of the Year
3. Angel Dust
4. The Real Thing
5. Introduce Yourself
6. We Care A Lot

The first two are sort of tied, though.

Bobby B Better
March 28, 2010 at 3:08 am

I chuckle a little when I read the Entertainment Weekly review. I remember reading it when the album came out. I’ve always thought FNM were about 5 years ahead of the then current musical scene, especially the last 3 albums, and particularly KFAD. So I agree with the review of the album being “out of step with the times.” There are a lot of simularities between this album and what System of a Down were doing years later and getting praise, airplay, and album sales for.

Broken Throat
March 28, 2010 at 1:20 am

Hi All,

Remember buying the album and my inital reaction was “shit it’s not Angel Dust” but gave it a couple of goes and it grew on me to becom my favorite album. The whole KFAD album was bitter sweet for me, as coming from dublin when it was first announced FNM were to play The Point and was well up for it by that time (November 24th 1995).

The gig never happened (bloddy David Bowie instead that night). I remember writting a letter to London Records at the time complaining (tennager, crap hand writting, jesus i cringe thinking of it). so two years later when no Dublin date was announced t went to Brixton for the Album Of The Year tour. some of the best £ 300 i spent at the time as i went with the attitude “i’ll never see them again”. God bless last year Brixton, Berlin and Dublin :-).

Gettting off the point but i wanted to check with others……
(i know this is each persons own opinion) but am i missing something with Richoet always thought it was just a good song but i know alot of fans are nuts about it.

and have always said when the day comes i would have Evidence played as i’m lowered into the ground or burnt to ashes any others doing this (FNM tracks) have to admit thought this has been joined by Weezer’s Island In The Sun.

JDub
March 27, 2010 at 6:08 pm

Ti Mort your list of albums is the same as mine. As far as Star A.D. I think that is the only unchecked FNM song on my Ipod, I hate it. Some people seem to really like it though so it may be a good song just not my style.

I would love to see FNM tour occasionally, and when Mike P and Mike B work on their other projects Billy and Roddy could work on new material. I think a semi active band is the most us fans can hope for. Even though I dream of #1 albums and a superbowl halftime show.

1°) KFAD =>Because if someone decided to do a biopic upon my high school years, this record would be the perfect OST… even though I’ve been graduated 12 years after his release 😉

2°) Angel Dust => Because it was the 1st album I’ve bought circa 2005 (yeah, I know it’s pretty late but I became addicted very very fast)

3°) Album Of The Year => Because I really love the songs and the experimentations they did on this record EX-AEQUO With The Real Thing => Because it was released in France the week of my birth (June 27th and I was born 5 days after) and because my dad likes Epic

4°) Introduce Yourself => Because Chuck’s songs were pretty good but gets a bit old years after years.

5°) We Care A Lot => Because it’s the record I know the less but I still love to headbang on it 😀

Oh, and before I forget, I created a “FNM French Community” on Facebook called “Faith No More French Community and it’s open to all the French-Speakers people from France, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxemburg and so on 😉

3d-alex
March 26, 2010 at 4:49 pm

Alksyntrs:

An extract of an interview with Roddy:

# ZB- b-sides – have you ever thought about doing a smashing pumpkins type thing and putting your b-sides all together, because a lot of my personal favorites are b-sides.
# RB- yeah, we put out one thing that i think just came out in europe called songs to make love to.
# ZB- is that the same thing that came out in america?
# RB- i don’t think it came out in america.
# ZB- no, songs to make love to came out in america.
# RB- oh, it did?
# ZB- yeah, like two years ago.
# RB- well, that was kind of along that line. it seems like most of our b-sides are very sort of quiet.
# ZB- yeah, i know that “spanish eyes” is one i haven’t heard you play yet.
# RB- nnno.
# ZB- well, that part after “prettiest eyes in all of mexico,” – i just piss myself every time i hear that.
# RB- it’s pretty funny.
# ZB- i know that the b-sides from this album, like “absolute zero” a lot of people are surprised that they didn’t get on the album and what not. i was really impressed with “i wanna fuck myself” i thought you really stayed true to the g.g. allin d.i.y. ethic.
# RB- that was pretty good, wasn’t it?
# ZB- did you play guitar on that?
# RB- i played bass on that.
# ZB- coming from g.g.’s hometown, that really meant a lot.
# RB- (laughing) did it?
# ZB- it really did.
# RB- it’s cool, it’s such a classic song, you know, it’s really good.
# ZB- yeah, when he was in jail, one of his many times, there’s this local paper called jam rag, it’s a music paper, and he put personal ads in jam rag for pen pals in jail!
# RB- really?
# ZB- yeah, it’d say, “join g.g. and fight oppression,” and yadda yadda yadda, and they’d be personal ads, like any other ad. it was so funny.
# RB- what a nut that guy was!
# ZB- yeah, the murder junkies are actually still playing around detroit.
# RB- are they?
# ZB- they played sunday but i didn’t find out until yesterday.
# RB- who sang?
# ZB- i have no idea. it said g.g. allin on the flyer, but i think that must’ve been a joke.
# RB- but yeah, i would like to put out a b-side thing. it would be cool. i mean, the low-tech stuff we’ve done i really like. i mean, everything that we’ve recorded by ourselves. anything low-tech i think is great. i like pushing that boundary. faith no more now spends a lot of money when we record. but the fact that it can be done with not a lot of money is such a universally appealing theme. everyone should know that, that you can make really great songs and record them for really cheap. a great song is a great song.

I think I have another one with Billy saying something about the story behind choosing “I started a Joke”…I’ll try to find it later…

SeanL
March 26, 2010 at 3:19 pm

NoneOfThemKnew: I find that a little hard to believe. The backup singers on Just A Man sound a lot like women to me. =P

Benrun { Looking forward to Dead Cross, Primitive Race, new Imperial Teen, the next Como Asesinar y Felipes record Billy is producing. I'm still enjoying listening to the WCAL reissue...but man, I could really go for an official live release or something about now. } – Jan 14, 9:04 PM

Benrun { Awesome Bobby! I got a cheap model for my birthday back in October....but it sounds good with headphones, doesn't transfer digitally all that well. I listed to the Imperial Teen Ivanka single from 1998 before they re-recorded it for the "On" album. I like the original version a lot, plus I hadn't heard the B-Side "Sweet and Touching" since 1998 when I moved out of my parent's house and didn't have access to a record player anymore. I love that song! I love vinyl, but I also love a digital copy of all the songs. I also listened to my... } – Dec 31, 1:15 AM

Benrun { So in his interview, Chuck talks about plans to move to England so that his life partner and mother of his children can be around her family. I was hoping to talk him out of this....I live in Ohio and I haven't gotten to see him live yet! Now....I kind of wish I was heading out of the USA too. But I can't leave now, I have too much work to do. I'm a white, straight, middle class, American man. I feel the need to help my documented and undocumented countrymen and women who don't look like me or love... } – Nov 09, 7:17 PM

EF { It is very slow times. I'm a little curious as to what's going on with the guys. Are we to expect news out of nowhere for a new album...or is the group about to, to quote Mike Tyson, "fade into Bolivia"? I'm not sure how busy the guys are and where FNM falls in their priority list, but I'd love to think....maybe....2017? } – Nov 17, 2:59 PM

Todd { Benrun, thanks for your reply. I figured someone on here might know what I am getting at. With Roddy, he strikes me as the very personable, outgoing introvert. He is usually soft-spoken. Yes, he is strong in his convictions. But he also seems to be really loose and playful. Just check out his dance moves on stage! And yeah, Gould is the mastermind. Highly structured, organized, conceptual, with strong command of highly technical details. I've read interviews with him in which he goes off on all the technical equipment and processes he uses and this kind of information just seems... } – Oct 19, 3:45 AM

Benrun { I took a personality test myself just now...and I am the same as Bill, INTJ! I find that interesting in the sense that while I am a Roddy side project fan and Patton side project fan, it is Bill and his bass, lyrics, and songwriting that speaks to me so personally that I became an obsessive FNM fan, but also love everything musical that Bill touches....Harmful, the Rebirth EP, Fugly, Talking Book, Hayduk, even the music he just points out the direction towards. I think I had 3/5 of the same favorite Bowie songs as him too. I've never been... } – Oct 19, 3:20 AM

Benrun { I studied psychology back in the day, but I don't speak that language anymore. I had to look those up...I think you nailed Patton, Gould, Puffy, and Hudson. Roddy could be several possibilities for me...definitely ISFP, but also ESFJ, ENFP, or even ENTP. As much as Jon is the quiet man, Roddy is maybe the most difficult to pin down. He's absolutely a really kind person, but he also doesn't take anyone's shit. Ever. Plus he's creative and takes some pretty creative risks (ie: Sasquatch the Opera). Thanks, this was a fun topic! } – Oct 19, 2:39 AM

Benrun { Yeah, it's hard to pick any video other than Last Cup of Sorrow as their best video. It is easily the best, while From Out of Nowhere is easily the worst! } – Oct 08, 1:15 PM

Bobby B Better { I've always been a big fan of the last cup of sorrow video too. The band hasn't been in their last 4 videos starting with I started a joke...hopefully next time. } – Oct 08, 5:48 AM

Bobby B Better { Actually, I take it back...Separation Anxiety is completely and totally awesome. I just watched CoS & SA back to back. CoS is really good but SA is something else. } – Oct 08, 5:43 AM

ty { this no show from the band wont cut it. its obvious Billy is willing to do everything for the promotion of the record but others don't seem to be as involved unfortunately. the song doesn't fit the clip at all but it looks good and seedy to fit the mood of the song. interesting that the band decided to promote the record 12 months after the Sunny Side Up single and the Seperation Anxiety videos. and also, this is an E.P? if theres unreleased songs on it then what a shame it wont be released on cd! } – Oct 01, 4:24 AM

Benrun { I'm not sure why mobile wouldn't show it, but just follow that link I posted. Also, here's a really good interview with Bill, Roddy, and Puffy (together! - and good things happen when the 3 of them are spending time together - it doesn't happen a ton since Roddy lives in NYC): https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/faith-no-more-cares-a-lot } – Sep 27, 3:20 PM

Benrun { Actually, the cover looks like the band's dog Henry in an Elizabethan collar (cone of shame). I'm not sure who owns Henry the pug?? Is it Patton? Roddy? } – Sep 27, 2:47 AM

Benrun { I saw Nov 25th on the amazon search that you recommended. If you click on the individual formats, the Nov 25th line does not appear, but it does on the broad search: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1/160-7954925-9272251?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=faith+no+more+cone+of+shame There is even a cover for the record now! } – Sep 27, 2:45 AM

Benrun { I don't think anything good was added to this song. The trouble with FNM covers seems to be that no one ever captures the feel or intent of the song. WCAL is a punk, snarky F U song. This just sounds too serious and angry. The only FNM covers I've liked have been total re-interpretations, like Race to Space doing Stripsearch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dToGw9YAauM or The Sparteens doing Digging The Grave https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GmvHcQ1YLg } – Sep 21, 2:03 PM

Bobby B Better { The come of shame teaser really looks to me like an album cover (single)...my guess is a record store day release } – Sep 17, 4:12 AM

Bobby B Better { Yeah, I keep thinking about the remasters. I don't have any of those albums on vinyl, so I'm leaning toward that and going to itunes for the tracks I don't have on CD. } – Sep 17, 4:01 AM

benrun { yes very few of us left it seems.I don't know what the cone of shame teaser means but I am really excited.I broke down and bought p rhino reissue anywaybut they have not arrived yet.so far from samples I do not hear a sound quality improvement, not that it was really necessary though } – Sep 16, 12:35 PM

Bobby B Better { I don't do Facebook so I shall share my excitement here...CONE OF SHAME!!??!! Benrun, I'm not sure if it's just you me and admin anymore...no one else seems to comment lately...but if so at least we have each other. I'm guessing a lot read but don't comment...what do the stats look like lately Admin? } – Sep 16, 4:48 AM